This week's best London events, from contemporary art fairs to fabulous film festivals

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Cherry blossom trees are bursting into bloom this week, the weather forecast is promising and the clocks are going forward - it's a good time to explore all that London has to offer. If you're out and about you can still participate in the citywide Big Egg Hunt and there are opportunities to catch al fresco theatre performances in Camden. A duo of film fests also take place this week and an especially creative fair is hosted at Somerset House.

Pick Me Up, Somerset House

Held annually at Somerset House, Pick Me Up is the UK’s original contemporary graphic art fair, and it returns this year with its biggest ever edition. Celebrating graphic art in all its forms, the 11-day event showcases new works from illustrators, graphic novelists, cartoonists and graphic designers from throughout the world but it’s not just aimed at collectors. As well as the opportunity to buy art, visitors can participate in numerous workshops, see artists at work and listen to music and spoken word performances. Some of the artists contributing to this year’s programme include Modern Toss, Ben Eine and George Hardie, still remembered as the creator of classic album covers for Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd.

Last year’s budget cuts caused concern for the future of the BFI’s annual London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, but following a commitment of support from members of the film industry and the public it returns this year 30 per cent larger than before. Over ten days, the festival will screen 53 feature films and 67 shorts; its opening film is Cloudburst, featuring Oscar-winning actresses Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Flicker as a pair of septuagenarian lesbian lovers. The film programme itself is complemented by discussions and lectures, as well as DJ-hosted parties in the Benugo Riverfront bar on both weekends.

When: March 23 – April 1Where: many events take place at BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, The South Bank Centre, London SE1 8XTTube: Waterloo is the closest station to BFI SouthbankHow much: prices vary

Films at the Yard, Hackney Wick

A collaboration between artists and architects, The Yard Theatre drew crowds to Hackney Wick with the launch of a short season of performances in 2011. This year, an enhanced programme of theatre performances launch in April and is preceded by this week’s opening of Films at the Yard, curated by the Rooftop Film Club. If you’ve been to one of their events before you’ll know the deal – mostly mainstream movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s are played to a youngish crowd drunk on nostalgia and whatever they’ve ordered from the on-site bar. Films to be screened this time round include Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Dirty Dancing and Forrest Gump – each one is screened on one night only so expect some showings to sell out.

The diminutive Camden People’s Theatre hosts another impressively ambitious event this month: the annual Sprint Festival. Stretching beyond the confines of the traditional theatre space, its programme sees performances take place in the backstreets of Camden, a basement speakeasy and the theatre’s lobby. With events spread over four weeks there’s plenty of time on offer, but a particular highlight is Avon Works by The Other Way Works. Taking place by prior arrangement in the living room of an audience member and nine of their friends, the show sees an Avon Lady call by to sell her wares and reveal some secrets along the way.

When: March 9 - 31How much: prices for individual events vary but most performances cost £10 or less. A festival pass gives you access to five shows for £30 and a performance of Avon Works in your home costs £150.

The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt

The £100,000 egg offered as part of the Big Egg Hunt. Image: The Big Egg Hunt

London becomes the setting for a scavenger hunt with a difference this week as the charities Action for Children and Elephant Family join forces with Fabergé to host The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt. Held over four weeks, the event will see 200 giant Easter eggs distributed throughout the capital, each one decorated by some of the world’s leading artists, architects, jewellers and designers. Diane Von Furstenberg, Sir Ridley Scott, Zandra Rhodes and The Chapman Brothers are among those who have lent their talents to the cause, and after the hunt has concluded the eggs will be auctioned to raise funds for the causes. It’s unlikely most of us will have adequate funds available to make a successful bid – sales of the 200 eggs are expected to generate more than £1million in revenue – but members of the general public who participate in the hunt are eligible to win the Fabergé Tribute Egg, a specially designed and unique memento valued at over £100,000. Check out the Big Egg Hunt’s website for registration details.

When: until March 31Where: throughout LondonHow much: searching for the eggs is free